CNUR 202 WEEK 1 INTRODUCTION REVIEW | COMPLETE NURSING COURSE INTRODUCTION
STUDY GUIDE & EXAM PREP 2026/2027
Pharmacology - ANS ✔✔study of drugs. Nurses understand the basic principles of
pharmacology
Drug - ANS ✔✔any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a living organism
Pharmacotherapeutics - ANS ✔✔The clinical use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases. Action
of drugs or cellular process that occurs in response to a drug molecule.
chemical name - ANS ✔✔The name that describes the chemical composition and molecular
structure of a drug.
Generic name - ANS ✔✔Commonly known, less expensive drug.
Trade name - ANS ✔✔Patented, belongs to a company. Brand name or more expensive
formulation, marketing name. Registered trade mark.
Classification - ANS ✔✔group of drugs with similar properties/ similar mechanisms of action
pharmaceutical phase - ANS ✔✔Drug enters the body and disentegrates
Pharmacokinetic phase - ANS ✔✔What the body does to the drug. Drugs are absorbed,
distributed, metabolized and excreted. (4 steps)
Pharmacodynamic phase - ANS ✔✔Available drug interacts with receptors to produce effects.
(Receptor sites, various chemical reactions, side effects or adverse effects).
, What affects the components of drug activity - ANS ✔✔Dosage, chemical and physiological
factors
Pharmacodynamics - ANS ✔✔Once that drug binds to a receptor there is a drug receptor
interaction of a drug at a particular receptor site on cell wall or inside cell.
Absorption - ANS ✔✔First phase of pharmacokinetics. How the drug is absorbed into blood and
distributed to tissues. Can be affected by the route of administration.
Absorption definition - ANS ✔✔Pharmacokinetic phase or time from a drug entering the body
until drug enters the blood stream, affected by form of medication route of administration and
patient variables.
Bioavailability - ANS ✔✔extent of drug absorption to the systemic blood circulation. All of the
organs it pass through affect absorption (ex. Liver can change the drug)
First pass effect - ANS ✔✔Initial metabolism in the liver of a drug absorbed by the GI tract
before the drug reaches the systemic circulation
Enteral Route - ANS ✔✔Drug is absorbed into the systemic circulation through the mucosa of
the stomach, small intestine or large intestine. Mucous membranes have high vascularity
What affects oral drugs? - ANS ✔✔Food, acidity of stomach, GI motility
Parental route - ANS ✔✔Intravenous (fastest delivery into blood circulation). Absorption is high.
These are injected, do not pass through liver, dose is lower because there is no first pass effect.
Parental route examples - ANS ✔✔IV, IM, SubQ
STUDY GUIDE & EXAM PREP 2026/2027
Pharmacology - ANS ✔✔study of drugs. Nurses understand the basic principles of
pharmacology
Drug - ANS ✔✔any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a living organism
Pharmacotherapeutics - ANS ✔✔The clinical use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases. Action
of drugs or cellular process that occurs in response to a drug molecule.
chemical name - ANS ✔✔The name that describes the chemical composition and molecular
structure of a drug.
Generic name - ANS ✔✔Commonly known, less expensive drug.
Trade name - ANS ✔✔Patented, belongs to a company. Brand name or more expensive
formulation, marketing name. Registered trade mark.
Classification - ANS ✔✔group of drugs with similar properties/ similar mechanisms of action
pharmaceutical phase - ANS ✔✔Drug enters the body and disentegrates
Pharmacokinetic phase - ANS ✔✔What the body does to the drug. Drugs are absorbed,
distributed, metabolized and excreted. (4 steps)
Pharmacodynamic phase - ANS ✔✔Available drug interacts with receptors to produce effects.
(Receptor sites, various chemical reactions, side effects or adverse effects).
, What affects the components of drug activity - ANS ✔✔Dosage, chemical and physiological
factors
Pharmacodynamics - ANS ✔✔Once that drug binds to a receptor there is a drug receptor
interaction of a drug at a particular receptor site on cell wall or inside cell.
Absorption - ANS ✔✔First phase of pharmacokinetics. How the drug is absorbed into blood and
distributed to tissues. Can be affected by the route of administration.
Absorption definition - ANS ✔✔Pharmacokinetic phase or time from a drug entering the body
until drug enters the blood stream, affected by form of medication route of administration and
patient variables.
Bioavailability - ANS ✔✔extent of drug absorption to the systemic blood circulation. All of the
organs it pass through affect absorption (ex. Liver can change the drug)
First pass effect - ANS ✔✔Initial metabolism in the liver of a drug absorbed by the GI tract
before the drug reaches the systemic circulation
Enteral Route - ANS ✔✔Drug is absorbed into the systemic circulation through the mucosa of
the stomach, small intestine or large intestine. Mucous membranes have high vascularity
What affects oral drugs? - ANS ✔✔Food, acidity of stomach, GI motility
Parental route - ANS ✔✔Intravenous (fastest delivery into blood circulation). Absorption is high.
These are injected, do not pass through liver, dose is lower because there is no first pass effect.
Parental route examples - ANS ✔✔IV, IM, SubQ
